Living a Lie
by Adeline Astrid
Summary: I loved the Harry Potter books, and I was devastated when the series ended. Here is my take on what would have happened to Albus, Rose, Scorpius, James, and everyone else if the series had continued. CAUTION: Some of the lines are taken directly from the books. I do not own them.


**Chapter 1:**

Albus cleared his throat, "Excuse me can I sit here? Everywhere else is full." It was only after these words were out that he vaguely hoped that he didn't sound too nervous.

The girl looked up from her book, a curious look pasted on her features.

That was when he registered somewhere in the back of his mind that she was mildly pretty, not beautiful, but pretty enough.

She had a fair complexion and shocking dark hair that contrasted sharply. It was only later he would describe it like night or onyx. However, what really held him where her eyes. Slightly almond shaped and a dazzling emerald green. Not that he would ever admit it to himself.

She gave a small shrug her lips curling into a smile, "Sure, it's a free country. At least I think it is." She added as an afterthought. The girl had an accent that was clearly foreign.

Albus laughed as he placed his trunk in the overhead compartment. "I'm Albus." He was a sucker for smiles.

"Alana." Her nose scrunched slightly, "Though I sort of prefer Lana."

"It's nice to meet you Lana." He held out his hand after he had taken the seat across from her in the compartment.

She stared at his hand for a moment before taking it, "It's nice to meet you, too."

At quarter to three the trolley came along. A plump elderly witch pushed it, "Anything from the trolley dears?" She asked as she passed by their compartment.

Albus looked up excited, "Yes please." Quickly, he got up and rushed up to the cart brimming with an assortment of treats.

Lana followed mildly curious. She ogled at the strange jumble of sweets, her eyes widening, as Albus began listing everything he wanted.

"Well, I'll have the Chocolate Frogs, Cockroach Clusters, Licorice Snaps, Sherbet Lemon, Liquorice Wands and maybe Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. Oh can I get the acid pops? And I'll have the Canary Creams, too." He produced a handful of coins that were still quite foreign to Lana even though she had used them to purchase a good deal of the objects currently residing in her trunk. What were they called? Galleons?

The little lady handed him his change along with the pile of treats that he had ordered. He thanked her before he quickly darted back inside the compartment. Then the lady turned to Lana, "And what about you dear?"

"Me?" Lana squeaked, her mind still surprised by Albus' sudden speed and agility. She hastily shot a look at the sweets, her eyes falling on what she hoped was a harmless large cherry lollipop. She pointed at it.

"Good choice sweetie." The lady grinned.

"You should also get the Pumpkin Pasties. They're amazing." A voice from behind Lana suggested, startling her.

Instinctively she turned around and nearly smacked into a boy about her age with pale blonde hair slicked severely back.

He grinned and waved at her as if to say _Hello in there._

"I guess I'll get that too." She told the little witch. The exchange of money was quick and without another look at the blonde boy she darted back inside the safety of the compartment.

Unsurprisingly, Albus had already munched his way through at least a fourth of his goodies. His face smeared with remnants of what appeared to be Chocolate Frogs. "Hey want this card? I think my mother will freak if I bring another one home." He didn't wait for a reply and suddenly she was swamped with at least a dozen.

"Albus!" She shrieked as one found its way into her hair.

"Oops! Sorry! Here want a Cockroach Cluster."

She glanced at the cockroach shaped thing that he held out to her and shook her head; as she plucked the card from her hair, "I'm good but thanks for the offer."

He shrugged, "Alright but their really good." As if to emphasize his point he took a huge bite and smiled with a long, "Mmmmm…"

Lana rolled her eyes, "All righty." That was when she caught a flash of movement in the card she held. Looking down she noticed that there was a picture of a man. He had jet black hair, green eyes, glasses, and an unfortunate lightning shaped scar. The name at the bottom read _Harry Potter_. Lana wasn't positive but the similarities were uncanny. The man was a spitting image of Albus, besides the glasses and scar.

Lana coughed, "Albus do you know anyone named Harry Potter?"

Albus shrugged, unperturbed, around a Canary Custard, "Yeah he's my father, why?"

"Have you seen this card?"

He leaned forward surprised, as Lana held it up to him. Then his face relaxed. "I'm sure it could be another Harry Potter. It's a common name."

"Don't you remember what your own father looks like? It's only been a few hours." Lana casted another glance at the card and froze. Where there once was the scarred wizard now resided an empty frame. "He was there a minute ago."

Albus gave another nonchalant shrug. "Well you can't expect him to be there all the time." As if a disappearing picture was the most common thing. Perhaps it was another one of those things she had to get used to.

"Okay…" Lana trailed off.

"Can I see the card for a second?" Albus asked.

Lana handed it over.

Albus' eyes skimmed the back of the card, his expression relaxing even more. "I know my father. And this doesn't sound like him. I mean this guy vanquished He Who Must Not Be Named! My father is half scarred out of his mind when James turns up five minutes past curfew."

"Oh, I see." Lana nodded as she unwrapped her lollipop, and licked it. It tasted strangely sickly and metallic. She made a face. "Gosh this is disgusting! What is this?"

Albus chuckled, "I was going to warn you not to buy the Blood-Flavoured Lollipop."

Lana's pale complexion turned green. "What did you say this was?"

"The Blood-Flavoured Lollipop. I think they're meant for vampires."

"Gross! I think I'm going to be sick!"

Albus made a face, "Be thankful it wasn't bogey-flavored."

Rose had checked nearly every compartment and she was certainly annoyed, that as luck would have it, Albus was in the last one. Out of all the compartments he just happened to choose the last one she'd check! She slid the compartment door open with all loud bang. "Geesh!Albus Severus Potter, I've been looking everywhere for you!" Her face was slightly red and her breath was slightly labored.

Albus scowled, he hated it when Rose used his full name and acted like she was superior. "What is it Rose? This train better have crashed, and a hoard of rabid werewolves better be eating everyone alive."

Lana tried her best to suppress a grin but despite her best efforts a small laugh escaped.

Rose frowned and stuck her chin up, "Ha ha very funny, Albus. But you and your little friend better get changed soon. I expect we shall be arriving at Hogwarts shortly." With a quick glare at Lana and another hiss at Albus, she slammed the door behind her, and stalked off.

Lana turned to Albus, "Should we apologize?"

Albus shook his head, "Naw, Rose is a pain in the neck, at best."

Lana cracked a smile at his remark and glanced out the window. She could see the looming towers of what appeared to be a castle. Hogwarts. She nudged Albus, who followed her lead and pressed his face against the window with awe. "I think we'd better get changed."

Albus nodded in agreement.

Albus wrung his hands nervously as he stepped off the train. From the corner of his eye he noticed that Lana was nervous too. She kept shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

_Look for Hagrid,_ his father had told him, yet surprisingly the giant was nowhere to be seen. How hard could it be to spot a man as big as Hagrid?

"Al!" A voice called. Albus knew even before turning that the voice belonged to his brother, James. What he wasn't expecting was James' bruised eye and tousled dark hair. It looked as if the boy had gotten into a skirmish.

Lana seemed equally shocked. Her eyes had rounded to the size of orbs.

"What happened James?" Albus asked. The worry was clearly etched into his face.

James rubbed his chin, a cocky look on his face. "Got into a fight with that Malfoy git."

"You what?"

James completely disregarded Albus' remark. "Don't worry I got him worse. You should see the little snob. I think I knocked out his two front teeth."

Lana gasped.

As James continued with his tale. "He totally had it coming. You see I was about to order something from the trolley when that little brat waltzes right on in and completely cuts me. So I taught him some manners."

Rose must have overheard the conversation for she quickly pushed her way through the crowd to the small group. "I can't believe you, James! You could get expelled!"

James chuckled, "Always the optimist. Aren't you, Rose? Besides I don't think that would happen. McGonagall hates the Slytherins." Then he added as an afterthought, "She might even thank me."

Rose scowled, "You're unbelievable." She hardly seemed impressed.

James smirked, "I know. I've been told that many times before."

Thankfully they were saved by a deep voice that boomed, "Firs' years over here! Firs' years over here!" It belonged to a huge man with a graying beard. Hagrid.

Albus sighed with relief as he grabbed Rose's arm, "Come on!" Lana with an apologetic smile at James quickly followed Albus.

"Hagrid!"Albus called, waving his free arm excitedly. Rose nearly tripped over a rock trying to keep up.

"Why it's Rose and Al!" Hagrid beamed.

"You know him?" Lana asked as she managed to slip past a group of burly seventh years.

"Yeah we have tea with him nearly every weekend." Rose explained. She gave Al a look that was all daggers, "You're going to tear my new robe! Let go! I can walk!"

Albus seemed to suddenly realize that he was still tugging Rose along. Embarrassed he released her.

Rose rubbed her arm gratefully.

"C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" Hagrid hollered as he lumbered down a steep narrow path.

Everyone slipped and stumbled as they followed Hagrid, even Al who had seemed so light on his feet.

Rose tripped over what appeared to be a fallen tree branch and nearly collided into a small girl in front of her.

"Merlin! Who is the groundkeeper here? They should be fired! Wait till father hears about this!" A snobby voice complained from behind Lana followed by a few snickers.

Curious as to who could have such an unpleasant voice, Lana stole a quick look. And was shock to find that it was the blonde boy that had suggested the Pumpkin Pasties. He seemed to be clutching his mouth with one hand. It was dark on either side of Lana, but she wouldn't have been surprised if his hand came away bloody. The Malfoy boy, she guessed. She quickened her pace hoping to put more distance between them.

"Yeh'll get yer fir' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

The shuffling of feet stopped followed by a loud chorus of gasps in awe.

The narrow path had opened into the edge of a deep black lake. And perched atop a high mountain on the other side was a vast castle. Albus gawked with fascination at the many turrets and towers. And its windows sparkled in the starry sky, as if they were winking at him. Surely, he had never seen anything more spectacular and beautiful in his eleven years.

The only person who seemed unimpressed was Malfoy who gave a loud emphasized sigh.

Hagrid seemed oblivious to it and proceeded to usher the small first years into boats, which were sitting in the water along the shore. "No more'n four in a boat!" He reminded a group of ten kids that were all trying to scramble into a little boat.

They looked at him fearfully.

"Let's get a boat before there all taken." Albus said.

Rose rolled her eyes, "I'm sure that there are more than enough boats, Al."

"Have fun getting stuck in a boat with Scorpius Malfoy." Albus countered.

"On second thought let's go." Rose frantically dashed toward a boat with Lana and Albus cackling at her heels.

The three kids managed to clamber into a boat along with a small boy named Trevor Longbottom. Lana was surprised to learn that Rose and Al knew the boy well.

"His father is the Herbology teacher." Rose whispered.

"Is there anyone you don't know?" Lana asked incredulously.

Rose shrugged, "Probably."

Lana opened her mouth in response but she was cut off by a shout from Hagrid.

"Everyone in?" He had a whole boat to himself. "Right then — FORWARD!"

Trevor let out a small frightened squeak as the boat jostled to life. And suddenly, all at once, the entire fleet of boats moved off. The water was as smooth as glass, as they glided across the lake. Shockingly, everyone was silent, even Malfoy didn't have a snide remark. Or perhaps, Albus simply hadn't heard him. The great castle towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

Suddenly, Hagrid exclaimed, "Heads down!" And everyone scrambled to duck their first boats had reached the cliffs and then they were passing through a curtain of ivy, which parted to expose a wide opening in the cliff face.

"It's a tunnel!" Rose sang, gleefully.

Lana didn't see what was so magical about it, until the dark tunnel opened into what seemed to be an underground harbor. Were they underneath the castle? She wondered.

There was a clattering of feet as everyone made their way onto the rocks and pebbles. Several boats tipped precariously as there was a mad rush to get out.

"Watch out!" Someone yelped as Lana was nearly knocked head first into the water.

At the last second that someone managed to grab her elbow and pulled her to safety. She looked up gratefully. A smile of appreciation on her face. It faded as soon as she saw who her rescuer was. Malfoy. She stiffened, "Thank you." And quickly dusted off her robes before hurrying after Rose and Albus.

Hagrid was leading the small first years up a flight of stone steps, by the time she caught up. The party crowded around a huge, oak door. And somehow Lana had landed herself besides Trevor, who was trembling slightly.

"Everyone here?"Hagrid said gruffly but not unkindly.

Everyone nodded in unison.

Hagrid took that as a good enough answer and raised his gigantic fist. He knocked three times on the castle door.


End file.
